Joey "Q" Quenga 

Owner/Creative Director of Island Block Radio 

Chamorro 

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Tell us a bit about yourself 

My name is Joey Quenga but most people know me as “Q”.  I am co-owner of Island Block Radio where I have many hats, producer, creative director, on-air personality as well as program director.  

I grew up in Long Beach, CA., which is a city in Los Angeles County.  

My family is from the village of Talofofo on Guam.…more

We're keepin it Fresh at One Love Festival with Charlie Pome'e from Three Houses Down! 

By Patrick Thomsen 

When your job literally is to question the ways in which society portrays groups of people through various representations, being positioned at the margins gives you unique insights into the ways in which words shape and form people’s positions in this world. But it also condemns you to a life where you’re pummeled by relentless attacks on social and mainstream media.

Some people would say that I’m a victim of my own inability to overcome the “Oppression Olympics.” That all the hate speech that I encounter against minorities is because I seek it out myself.

I can assure you that they’re most certainly wrong.

No one in their right mind would ever choose this life. To sit in the shadows of intersections, where multiple forms of social exclusion conspire to drain you of not only your self-confidence, but on particularly bad days, your will to live.…more

By Joanna Bourke 

Yes – Im 100% Tongan, born and raised here in Aotearoa. As the eldest of 5 siblings – I had a somewhat strict upbringing – and only has been in the last 10 years have I come to understand that it has a lot to do with being a female – and being Tongan.

Today I spend most my time living in Tonga – immersing myself in the culture and the community to help make a difference – and on the face of it – looks straightforward.

Yeah right!

It gets frustrating at times – but you develop a resilience to just push through despite the challenges.

The Challenge

Being a woman – one who is educated and experienced – it doesn’t mean shit in Tonga. People get by and succeed by who you know – and not necessarily what you know – but over time (a long time) people get you – they get you – but yet they are still dubious – eventually – the penny drops.…more

SEPELINI MUA'AU 

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY TUTOR 

SAMOAN

My name is Sepelini Pati Mua’au and I am a New Zealand born Samoan. I am the youngest of 4, my mother is from the village of Falelatai and my father from Levi-Saleimoa. I was raised in Wainuiomata, completed my Secondary schooling at St. Bernard’s College in Lower Hutt and tertiary education at Victoria University of Wellington. I currently work at Victoria Univeristy in the School of English, Film, Theatre & Media Studies as a support tutor for 100-level Maori and Pasifika students, I also tutor for the theatre programme and write plays on the side.

You have a Master of Arts in Theatre - What did that degree entail and why do you think you were drawn to theatre?

Theatre definitely started off as an interest, like many Samoan parents, ideally they wanted me to be a lawyer or doctor. In 2010, my last year of College, I was fortunate enough to travel to London to perform on the Globe Theatre stage, so my family knew there was something there for me.…more

By Malama T-Pole 

I’ve been reflecting tonight on Joseph Parker’s fight against Anthony Joshua this morning.  He held the weight of his Samoan and New Zealand fans on his shoulders.  Easter Sunday church services, were pushed late at some Pacific Island churches to accommodate the fight. 

Even my dad, a retired church minister who hates to be late to anything, declared he will be arriving late to church because of the fight.  In Samoa, high schools and workplaces have been competing in a fun Parker cheer contest that have rallied the nation behind their hero.  But, I wondered, how do our community feel about Parker now that he has lost? 

Tonight, I was standing on my veranda watching the neighbourhood kids who gather to play on my front yard.  Every evening, this group of boys come and ride their bikes or play tag or hide and go seek with each other.  But tonight was different.…more

Keepin it Fresh down in Gisborne at East Coast Vibes! 

By Courtney Sina Meredith

In a rare interview on a Skype call from New York, award-winning writer and filmmaker Toa Fraser chats with Courtney Sina Meredith about the 20 year odyssey that’s taken him from a small car park in Auckland to the world stage.  Fraser, the creative alchemist behind films No. 2, Dean Spanley, The Dead Lands, Giselle, Six Days, The Free Man, River Queen, a myriad of television projects like ‘Penny Dreadful’ ‘Into the Badlands’, the latest Marvel series of ‘Daredevil’ the ‘IronFist’ and a new Australian series ‘Tidelands’.  Not to mention plays and he's just made history in 2017 by being the first director to have two films in the New Zealand International Film Festival.   

 Courtney SM: How is it that you have the most varied directing portfolio of any Kiwi director?  Is that a representation of you essentially?

Toa Fraser: I do feel it is a representation of me.…more

Chris Marco Alosio

Actor

Samoan

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Update since his interview with us below:

Chris stars in the newly released Netflix show 'Surviving Summer'  where he plays Manu Tetanui - coach of the Shorehaven surf team and older brother of Poppy and Prawnie.

He's also currently filming in Hawai'i with Uli Latukefu, Sisa Grey, Frankie Adams and others for Taika Waititi's 'Last Goal Wins'. 

Peep Chris speaking Samoan in one of the episodes of Surviving Summer below - 

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You may also recognise Chris from when he starred in the award winning video for SWIDT's "BUNGA" below 

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My name is Chris Marco Alosio and I'm an actor. I was born and raised in Wellington, NZ. I am of full Samoan descent. My Father is from Levi, Saleimoa and my Mother from Falefa, Anoama'a. 

How did you find yourself in the entertainment industry?

I've always loved being in the Arts but at the same time, have always been too afraid to admit it.…more